Amir Khan hints at a future career in mixed martial arts ahead of Saul Alvarez fight

Amir Khan has suggested he could make a switch from boxing to mixed martial arts. The 29-year-old star, who is preparing to face Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in Las Vegas on 7 May, is a keen fan of mixed martial arts and has hinted about fighting in the octagon in the future.

The former world champion thinks his speed and elusiveness would make him ideally suited to the sport. "My speed would be perfect for mixed martial arts, it's hit and move. I wouldn't let anyone get close to me," Khan said, according to the BBC.

Khan already owns a stake in a mixed martial arts company called Super Fight league (SFL), and has revealed his passion for the increasingly popular sport. "We have a lot of shows in Dubai," he explained. "I was at the last SFL show watching the guys at my weight and I swear, even though I have no experience of mixed martial arts, I could have stepped in and done the business.

"I really thought 'shall I go in there and do something crazy?' Lucky I didn't, I probably would have got banned from boxing. I've already done mixed martial arts training, grappling stuff and the other bits and pieces. I enjoyed it, it's good fun and is good for preparing to fight a guy like Alvarez, who likes to put the pressure on."

Khan said, too, that he has all of the necessary skills to make a successful transition to the sport. "Doing mixed martial arts training means I know the positions to be in. It's all about the feet," he said.

"Mixed martial arts is a little slower than boxing but you make up for that by using your elbows and knees. I can kick hard, don't worry about that. I also believe boxers punch harder than MMA fighters. Imagine Mike Tyson as a heavyweight hitting a guy on the floor 20 times."